With Russia having recently restarted production of liquefied natural gas at its Western-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, compliance officers should prepare for the increased but “manageable” risks that Russian LNG poses, according to a new report released by Blackstone Compliance Services.
The Federal Maritime Commission this week ordered AAF Logistics, a California-based non-vessel operating common carrier, to pay more than $291,000 to Chicago-based distributor Color Brands, which accused AAF in 2022 of charging for cargo insurance it didn't obtain and improperly denying damaged cargo claims.
The U.S. removed sanctions from a former board member of one of Russia’s largest private banks more than two years after he submitted a delisting petition and about 10 months after he sued the State Department for stalling a decision on that petition without explanation.
Hungarian national Bence Horvath was charged with violating U.S. export controls on Russia by conspiring to ship radio communications technology to Russian government end users without a license, DOJ announced Aug. 26. Horvath is charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act of 2018.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control updated two frequently asked questions related to its Cuba restrictions. One FAQ outlines the circumstances under which the U.S. dollar can be used to conduct transactions in Cuba or with Cuban nationals, and another explains that U.S. banks are allowed to process “U-turn” transactions involving Cuba. OFAC issued a final rule in May to authorize those transactions -- which allow people to transfer funds if those transfers originate in the U.S. and terminate outside the U.S. and “where neither the originator nor beneficiary is subject to U.S. jurisdiction” -- along with other measures to loosen its Cuba restrictions (see 2405280033).
Some companies are struggling to meet a due diligence threshold set by the U.S. government for sales to foreign suppliers accused of illegal sales to Russia, said Anne van de Heetkamp, vice president of product management for global trade intelligence at Descartes Systems Group.
Canada plans to require Canadian steel importers to provide information on the country of melt and pour (COM) for imported steel at the time of importation, which will “improve the data quality” of its Steel Import Monitoring Program, it said in a recent notice. The proposal would specifically revise provisions of Canada’s General Import Permit No. 80 for Carbon Steel and the General Import Permit No. 81 for Specialty Steel Products to “require importers to provide COM information” to the Canada Border Services Agency “at the time of importation as terms and conditions of using” the permits.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., urged the Biden administration last week to take action against Chinese companies that form U.S.-based subsidiaries to evade sanctions and other restrictions imposed by the U.S. government.
Canada will soon impose a 100% import tariff on all Chinese-made electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products, moves that will protect its auto industry from what it said are Beijing’s “unfair, non-market policies and practices.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security reached a $44,750 settlement with Streamlight, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of portable lighting products, after BIS said the firm violated the Export Administration Regulations’ antiboycott provisions. Streamlight committed the antiboycott violations by certifying to a freight forwarder -- as it prepared for a Bahrain trade show -- that its goods didn’t come from Israel.